Scars
by Sophia Bee
Summary: uploading some of my old V. Mars fics...  Summary: Veronica learns that Logan is more vulnerable than she thinks.  Spoilers/Warnings: Partially clothed kissing


He stood in front of her, fingers on the buttons of his shirt.

"You need to know…."

Logan's voice trailed off as his eyes searched Veronica's face. She took a deep shaky breath, amazed again how he made everything else slip away until it was just the two of them. She met his gaze and was surprised to see his eyes full of questions.

The first time he kissed her she'd felt the magic. It was the way he'd grabbed her shoulder, turning her around, pulling her toward him until she felt his body against hers and then he bent down and everything crackled with electricity as she wound her arms around his neck, tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him back. It was a feeling of being pulled out of her body, of floating in some strange universe where the only things left were the feel of his hands on her waist, the pressure of his lips, the slip of his tongue in her mouth.

She kissed Logan Echolls back.

Logan Echolls.

Veronica stepped toward Logan, her bare feet padding across the carpet of her bedroom . She put a hand up to cover his and felt it trembling.

Trembling

He looked…vulnerable. Veronica had a hard time incorporating the term 'vulnerable' with the Logan Echolls she knew. How many times had Lilly told her all the sordid details of their exploits? Veronica remembered how her cheeks felt hot and how Lilly had laughed at her flushed face as they sat cross-legged on Lilly's silk comforter.

Now he was trembling.

"Let me." Veronica murmured as she pushed his hand away. Her fingers found the first button on his shirt and she carefully popped it out of the buttonhole. Her fingers slipped under the cotton fabric and found bare skin, brushing lightly with her fingertips before she moved to the next button.

"Veronica."

She leaned forward and placed her lips on the patched of bare skin she'd exposed, leaving a light kiss. Then she flicked out her tongue and tasted salt and sweat.

"I need you." She said against his chest then tilted her chin up to look at him once again. "Please."

Her arms slid up his shoulders and around his neck, and she was tangling her fingers in his hair again, pulling his face down toward hers. Their faces were inches apart when she heard him say…

"No."

"Logan?"

Every part of her body ached to feel his lips on hers again, to feel his fingers on his skin. Veronica trembled, wanting to press her body against his but his hands had come up between them and were pushing her away from him until they were standing face to face with a couple feet between them..

"You need to know…."

His voice cracked a little and Logan shuffled his feet. She looked at him, trying to read what was in his eyes, to figure out where this was going, and then he looked away and stared at the carpet.

"What is it?" Veronica asked, reaching out to touch his arm, to remind him he wasn't alone. Logan flinched as her fingers touched his skin. He lifted his head and looked at her again. Veronica saw shame. And tears.

"I have scars."

Scars

Veronica remembered the hotel lobby; Trina snarling at Logan, the way his face had crumpled with her words. She remembered the way he felt in her arms, how her shirt had been wet from his tears, the way it felt to stroke his hair.

"From him?" Veronica asked softly, stepping closer. Logan's shoulders slumped.

Him. Daddy dearest. The one who was supposed to protect you, make your world safe.

"Yes."

She took another step and reached out to touch his arm again. This time he didn't flinch. Her hand slowly stroked up his arm, to his shoulder, along his collarbone, her eyes never leaving his the entire time.

It stopped on the third button.

"Let me see." Veronica murmured.

Logan said nothing as she undid the third button, then the fourth, and the one after that, until his shirt was hanging open. She pushed the shirt over his shoulders and slipped it down his arms, then let it slip to the floor.

Veronica started with a small, white circular scar just below his shoulder. She touched it, feeling the bump under her fingertips.

"Cigarette." Logan said quietly. "I was ten. I spilled on the carpet. I was glad when he quit smoking."

Veronica leaned forward and kissed the scar lightly.

Next her fingers found a long white gash on his shoulder. She stroked it softly, following the contours of the raised flesh.

"Lizard skin belt. Mom bought it on a trip to Italy. I was fourteen. I snuck out of the house and he found out."

Veronica followed her fingers with soft butterfly kisses, trying to remove the pain. Logan's breath hitched with each touch of her lips. She pulled back and looked at him, absorbing the pain in his eyes. Then she grabbed the hem of her own shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. She reached around her back and unclasped her bra, pulling it off and letting it fall to floor.

She wanted to stand in front of him, naked, bared and vulnerable. Maybe this way he might see that she had scars too. Scars that weren't as visible as his but still ached deep inside her.

She stepped forward again and pressed her breasts against his chest, enjoying the way his skin felt hot against hers. Her hands slipped around his rib cage and skimmed up his back until they found another long ridge of scar tissue she traced with her fingertips.

"Lamp cord." Logan murmured as he stared down at her, his lips hovering centimeters from hers.

"Jesus." Veronica hissed. "Fucking, hell, Logan."

Her eyes stung with tears as she wrapped her arms around Logan and held him tightly against her. She wanted to find the words to tell him she was sorry. Even if it didn't mean anything, she was so very sorry. She wanted to find every single person who had ever ignored the marks on his back, the sunglasses to hide black eyes and scream at them. She wanted to go find Aaron Echolls and hurt him in the same way he'd hurt his son.

"We can't choose our family." Veronica whispered into Logan's chest.

His arms squeezed her against his chest, so hard she was surprised she could still breathe. Then his fingers were on her face, stroking down her cheek, tipping her chin up. His lips were on hers, and his kiss was bittersweet and gentle. She tasted her tears on his lips.

Veronica hadn't realized she'd been crying.


End file.
